The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Lynwood L. (Lane) Martin was appointed as Orange’s next Chief of Police this morning.

“[I’m] very excited,” Martin said. “We have some great people with the department. I look forward to working with them in the future...serving citizens of Orange.”

According to Sam Kittrell, the current chief, Martin started at Orange police department Jan. 30, 1989 and was promoted to Captain Jan. 1998. Later he made Major in Dec. 2009.

“[I am] Absolutely delighted that the Orange Police Department is able to attract and obtain the quality of people as major Martin,” Mayor Brown Claybar said.

Martin, 43, says he doesn’t remember being anywhere else but Orange County.

From June 1, 1987 Kittrell has been the Orange police chief, yet now this chapter of his life is coming to a close to welcome a new generation.

“When I made the decision to retire my decision was made much easier because I knew that within the department there was a pool of talent that was capable of filling my position upon my retirement,” Kittrell said.

Martin graduated from Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School in 1985 and in 1994 he came out of Lamar University Beaumont with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. In 1989 he finished the Lamar Regional Police Academy to go onto the FBI National Academy, Quantico, Va. in 2005. Martin holds a Master Peace Officers certificate with Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

Martin and his wife, Samantha, have three children together, two sons Zachary, 15, and Ethan, six, and a 17 year old daughter, Lauren. His parents are Lynwood and Sue Martin. The Martins are members of Little Cypress Baptist Church.

“Our goal [at the police department] is to try...to make Orange the best place possible,” Martin said.